News Forum - Malaysia resumes Vaccinated Travel Lane ticket sales for air, land travel to Singapore

[Thaiger]

Malaysia’s health ministry announced today that ticket sales for air and land travel under a Vaccinated Travel Lane programme (VTL) with Singapore, which had been cancelled until yesterday due to Omicron concerns, have resumed. Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said that the resumption of VTL follows a risk assessment of the current Covid-19 situation in both countries. However, ticket sales will be divided into air and land travel as increasing ticket quotas will be based from time to time under strict monitoring of the virus in two nations. Singapore reported a total of 1,001 Omicron infections so far as of yesterday, […]

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[Cabra]

So they cancelled TL due to omicron and have reinstated TL as omicron is now spiking ... buy at your own risk because at this rate of flip flopping expect another contrary announcement soon

[Vince]

Great news. Omicron is a omi-flop. 

Lower fatality rates are showing that this pandemic is moving to endemic status. 

With widespread vaccination, anti-covid pills, and less lethal variants, the time to embrace a Swedish model has never been better. 

I look forward to eating at Singapores famous food stalls

[Vince]

1 hour ago, Cabra said:

So they cancelled TL due to omicron and have reinstated TL as omicron is now spiking ... buy at your own risk because at this rate of flip flopping expect another contrary announcement soon

The past isn't a guarantee of future performance. 

Do you prefer governments which make no effort to protect their citizens? 

[Cabra]

59 minutes ago, Vince said:

The past isn't a guarantee of future performance. 

Do you prefer governments which make no effort to protect their citizens? 

If I had a choice, I'd prefer consistency (probably a bridge too far for most governments). Regardless. The closure of the TL due to omicron made sense (for SNG given previous rulings on the topic). However, what does not make sense (and what is not really protecting it's citizens) is the timing of the reopening of the TL (given the original rational for closing said TL) seeing as omicron is still an ongoing threat. It's a classic flip flop in my opinion. My point is, will it flip again, throwing people into more disarray, when omicron gets it's legs in Asia.

[Vince]

Just now, Cabra said:

If I had a choice, I'd prefer consistency (probably a bridge too far for most governments). Regardless. The closure of the TL due to omicron made sense (for SNG given previous rulings on the topic). However, what does not make sense (and what is not really protecting it's citizens) is the timing of the reopening of the TL (given the original rational for closing said TL) seeing as omicron is still an ongoing threat. It's a classic flip flop in my opinion. My point is, will it flip again, throwing people into more disarray, when omicron gets it's legs in Asia.

If VTL was closed out of caution, and Omicron was found to be less lethal, and VTL was reopened as a result, how does this not show great care and flexible tactics appropriate to the situation?

Merely sticking to one response to avoid accusations of "flip flopping"reduces tactical flexibility. 

It's like cooking with only one temperature or driving at only one speed for "consistency" for its own sake. 

[Cabra]

51 minutes ago, Vince said:

If VTL was closed out of caution, and Omicron was found to be less lethal, and VTL was reopened as a result, how does this not show great care and flexible tactics appropriate to the situation?

Maybe so. If death is the sole parameter when it comes to public health related policy decisions. The West has seen a dangerous strain on healthcare system resources related to omicron (which is not insignificant and has had cascading implications). The mortuary impact, granted, not so much. It just feels too soon to flip the switch. But happy to have another travel option

Edited January 21, 2022 by Cabra
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[Vince]

3 hours ago, Cabra said:

Maybe so. If death is the sole parameter when it comes to public health related policy decisions. The West has seen a dangerous strain on healthcare system resources related to omicron (which is not insignificant and has had cascading implications). The mortuary impact, granted, not so much. It just feels too soon to flip the switch. But happy to have another travel option

Excellent. It sounds like we agree. 

I welcome flexibility. I am not saying I agree with these or most restrictions, but if politicians are going to try to make things better I don't want to be stuck longer than necessary with their bad decisions because they want to be "consistent". 

I'd rather see them flip-flop their way to good or at least better policy.